truss rod

If you have average strength, you can do it fairly easily. Why?

 

It will certainly fight back before it breaks. If it's fighting back, STOP!

Also when tightening the truss rod, I like to loosen the strings and put the bass on the ground between my legs holding the body with my feet and use my knee as a fulcrum while pushing on the headstock. This will allow you to tighten the trussrod without the trussrod doing the actual work.

 

If you're nervous about it, loosen it by a quarter-turn first. That will give you a feel for how much friction you should feel. When you tighten it back up a bit, if you feel considerably more tension that that, stop.

 

If it squeaks, stop. That is the same sound (different pitch) that tightening a lug nut makes when changing a tire. If that sound is unfamiliar, it might be best to take the instrument to a professional and ask them to do it while you watch.

 

If this is your first time doing it, I would back the nut completely out and lubricate it with some graphite. Lock cylinder lubricant works very well.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...!lubricant_-1_-1&keyword=graphite!s!lubricant

 

You can't remove the nut from a two-way action trussrod, just something to keep i mind